The idea that became the Travel Scholarships Initiative began during Omohundro Institute Director Ron Hoffman’s September 2005 planning visit to Ghana, in a series of meetings that he and Professor Emmanuel Akyeampong of Harvard University held with the chairs of university departments, faculty members, and public officials in Accra and at Cape Coast. Responding enthusiastically to the Omohundro Institute’s desire to convene a major international conference in their country in 2007, these Ghanaian educators and officials proposed that another component be added to the meeting. Specifically they urged the Omohundro Institute to raise the funds necessary to support the participation in the proceedings of faculty members and graduate students currently involved in relevant study and teaching in sub-Saharan African universities. Stressing the importance for the quality and breadth of African scholarship of developing pan-African and broader global contacts, they described the great benefit they believed members of the African academic community would derive from the sharing of information that the August 2007 conference would make possible. The intensity and eloquence with which they pressed their case and their remarkable dedication to fostering the life of the mind amid the harsh economic realities that have shrunk so radically the resources needed to nourish learning made anything but an affirmative answer unthinkable. As a result, the Omohundro Institute became deeply committed to providing faculty and graduate students from African universities with their first opportunity in many years to meet and discuss subjects of mutual interest with their colleagues and counterparts from Africa and from other continents. Although the task of raising the funds proved more arduous than we anticipated, the incredible generosity of a variety of donors enabled us to reach our goal. Three who supported the Travel Scholarships Initiative wish to remain anonymous. Those to whom the Institute can publicly express its gratitude are:
| The British Council The College of William and Mary The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation |
The Rouse-Bottom Foundation The United States Embassy—Accra, Ghana Mr. Sid Lapidus Mr. Paul Sperry Mr. Hays Watkins |
The Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture particularly wants to thank Professor Bernard Bailyn of Harvard University’s Atlantic World Seminar for his invaluable help in realizing this initiative.
The donors join the Omohundro Institute in congratulating the scholarship recipients. We hope that their participation in this conference will contribute to the revitalization of an interactive community of humanities scholars in sub-Saharan African institutions of higher learning and that the connections made at this meeting will help facilitate new links and strengthen those that already exist between African academics and their counterparts in other parts of the world.
Each person who applied for a Travel Scholarship was asked to submit a short essay explaining how participation in the conference would support her/his current scholarship and teaching and enhance his/her research and writing. From a pool of 106 applicants from fifteen sub-Saharan African nations, the committee selected sixty-one individuals to receive an award. They come from twelve different countries and represent thirty-four universities. Forty-two are faculty members; nineteen are graduate students. Their names and affiliations are:
Professor Armstrong Matiu Adejo, Benue State University, NigeriaDr. Arinpe G. Adejumo, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Dr. Adebisi Ademakinwa University of Lagos, Nigeria
Dr. Gbemisola Aderemi Adeoti, Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria
Dr. Joseph Chemeka Achike Agbakoba, University of Nigeria
Dr. S. Ademola Ajayi, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Mr. Olajide Olayemi Akanji, Redeemer’s University, Nigeria
Mr. Akeem Ayofe Akinwale, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Mr. Baruti Bahati Amisi, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Professor Nicodemus Fru Awasom, University of The Gambia
Mr. Bosun Banjoko, Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria
Mr. Babere Kerata Chacha, Egerton University, Kenya
Mr. Percyslage Chigora, Midlands State University, Zimbabwe
Dr. Matilda Sophia de Beer, University of the Free State, South Africa
Professor Mabel Evwierhoma, University of Abuja, Nigeria
Professor Muyiwa Falaiye, University of Lagos, Nigeria
Mr. Gbenga Fasiku, Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria
Ms. Oluyemi Fayomi, Covenant University, Nigeria
Mr. Sunday Kabera Francis, Makerere University, Uganda
Mr. John Gasu, University for Development Studies, Ghana
Dr. Simeon Gbor, Benue State University, Nigeria
Dr. Robert Herbst, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, South Africa
Dr. Atoato David Igirgi, Benue State University, Nigeria
Dr. Walima Tuesday Kalusa, University of Zambia
Mr. Henry Kam Kah, University of Buea, Cameroon
Mr. Freddy Junior Kankou, University of Bangui, Central African Republic
Dr. Kamini Krishna, University of Zambia
Ms. Barbara Kritzinger, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, South Africa
Professor Adebayo A. Lawal, University of Lagos, Nigeria
Mr. Imbua David Lishilinimle, University of Calabar, Nigeria
Professor Augusta de Fatima Charifo Maita, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Republic of Mozambique
Mr. Mokake Flavius Mayoa, University of Buea, Cameroon
Ms. Enongene Crawford Mesode, Advanced School of Mass Communication/ESSTIC, Cameroon
Mr. Munyaradzi Mushonga, National University of Lesotho
Mr. Nnanna Ndubuisi, University of Nigeria, Nsukka
Dr. Canute A. Ngwa, University of Buea, Cameroon
Mr. Walter Gam Nkwi, University of Buea, Cameroon
Dr. Anthony Nkwoka, Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria
Jacinta Chiamaka Nwaka, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Dr. Mike Odugbo Odey, Benue State University, Nigeria
Mr. Akachi Odoemene, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Dr. Oghenekaro Ogbinaka, University of Lagos, Nigeria
Dr. Olukoya Ogen, Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria
Dr. Rasheed Olaniyi, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Mr. Badru Ronald Olufemi, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Dr. Akinpelu Olutayo, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Dr. Toyin Oluwaremilekun Oluwaniyi, Covenant University, Nigeria
Dr. J. G. Nkem Onyekpe, University of Lagos, Nigeria
Mr. Terhemba O’Tserakkaa, Benue State University, Nigeria
Mr. Adeyemi Oyeniyi, Redeemer’s University, Nigeria
Dr. A. Enoh Richard, University of Buea, Cameroon
Mr. Emmanuel Saboro, University of Cape Coast, Ghana
Professor Devi Sarinjeive, University of South Africa
Dr. Alaba Simpson, Covenant University, Nigeria
Mr. Olusegun Moses Temilola, Bowen University, Nigeria
Mr. Jonathan Agena Torese, Benue State University, Nigeria
Mr. Paul Kehinde Ndukwe Ugboajah, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Dr. Joseph Akawu Ushie, University of Uyo, Nigeria
Mr. Godwin Aondohemba Vaaseh, Benue State University, Nigeria
Mr. Peter Wafula Wekesa, Kenyatta University, Kenya
Dr. Josep Yves Zoa Zoa, Ngaoundéré University, Cameroon